Grapes
are a temperate crop requiring predominantly winter rainfall and warm
to hot summer conditions for ripening. Freedom from late spring
frosts is essential to prevent the loss of the developing fruit.
Grapes are grown for winemaking, drying and, to a lesser extent, for
table use. Some of the better known grape producing areas are the
Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Riverland, McLaren Vale
and Coonawarra in South Australia; Sunraysia and the Yarra Valley in
Victoria; the Hunter and Riverina in New South Wales; the Swan Valley
and Margaret River in Western Australia; and the Tamar Valley and
Coal River Valley in Tasmania.

The
gross value of grape production for 1999-2000 decreased by 7% to
$1.1b (table 5).
Table 6
shows the area of vines and the grapes produced by grape variety. See
tables below: